Research Foundation Salutes Stand Up to Cancer, Urges Improved Prostate Cancer Imaging

"My more than two decades of cancer research and advocacy has spanned the world and brought me to this conclusion: cancer impacts all of us - regardless of our country, race, gender or religion - and unless we all support its diagnosis, treatment and cure, that will not change.

"We salute Stand Up To Cancer - and all of its participants and partners - for its bold leadership in creating tonight's prime-time television event to raise funds for the fight against cancer. We are pleased the funds from this event will be used in an area of tremendous need - cancer research.

"September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. This is a particularly important month for me as my father, like millions of other men in this country, has prostate cancer, the most common major cancer inthe United States. Prostate cancer strikes a man every 2.5 minutes and kills a man every 18 minutes. It has become more common than even breast cancer, yet advanced diagnostic imaging technologies comparable to life-saving mammograms remain unavailable. While prostate cancer can be cured when diagnosed early, it remains the second most lethal cancer in men. Indeed, current diagnostic tools were recently demonstrated to cause more harm than good. Existing tests miss cancers and/or underestimate their aggressiveness and lead to failed clinical interventions in as many as 1 in 2 men, resulting in cancer progression and ultimately, death. On the other hand, current screening with blood test PSA leads to more than one million men undergoing unnecessary biopsies each year. The extent of treatment which is administered unnecessarily while causing life-altering complications is staggering, as well. This is a sad reality for millions of American men who face screening for, or diagnosis of, prostate cancer every year. Prostate cancer is particularly devastating for African-American males who have significantly higher incidence and mortality rates.

"We encourage all Americans to contribute to tonight's event, and urge the U.S. Congress and federal government to provide adequate funding to overcome the crisis of care caused by the lack of accurate diagnostic tools. Federal support made it possible to advance breast cancer imaging, which transformed early detection and treatment of breast cancer. As a nation, we must provide similar possibilities for men."

The AdMeTech Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to improved early diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. The organization develops strategic partnerships with academia, advocacy, industry, and government to facilitate development and implementation of accurate, affordable accessible diagnostic tools for prostate cancer. For more information, log onto www.admetech.org.

SOURCE AdMeTech Foundation

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Copyright © 2009, NewsBlaze, Daily News

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